Importance of Praying

June 24th, 2026
by Lance Waldie

Hebrews 13:18-19 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things. 19 And I urge you all the more to do this, so that I may be restored to you the sooner.

The anonymous author of Hebrews, though clearly known to his audience, asks for prayer in vv. 18-19. From v. 18 it appears that a false accusation had been leveled against him and his cohorts, for he writes, “We are sure that we have a good conscience…” One who says such things is one who has been accused of a wrongdoing that perhaps he or she alone knows is false but that others might be convinced is true. The writer’s “conscience” (Gr. suneidēsis)—the psychological faculty that distinguishes between right and wrong, that which either afflicts or comforts us depending upon our actions, however, was “good.” In other words, whatever false accusation had been leveled against him, he knew he was innocent. And God knew. After all, both he and his cohorts were “desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things” (v. 18).

As to the conscience, everyone has one—that innate sense of right and wrong. Though unbelievers also have a conscience, theirs is defiled (Titus 1:15), keeping them from repentance. The Christian, however, has a cleansed and purified conscience (Heb. 9:14). This of course does not make them perfect, but under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, they can discern right from wrong without being a slave to their instinctive desire to please themselves.

The Hebrews author apparently believed that prayer on his behalf would mean “that I may be restored to you the sooner” (v. 19). Though he does not specify his circumstances, whatever they were, they had kept him away from the audience to whom he wrote. We can only surmise what this might be, but since the busyness of ministry can keep Christians apart, perhaps he was a traveling preacher, many miles away from those he loved. Such lonely times prompt us to ask for prayer, oftentimes comforting us with the realization that someone is struggling together with us. Of course he might have been ill or even imprisoned. Whatever the case was with this author, he believed in prayer—his brothers in Christ gathering together boldly before the throne of God seeking mercy and grace on his behalf (cf. 4:16). That in itself will comfort anyone!

In light of the admonition in Hebrews 13:7 and 13:17 to “remember” and “obey” church leaders, we are also charged to “pray” for such men. Doing so is pleasing to God, for when our leaders serve in the church faithfully, they do so because God’s people pray faithfully for them. If prayer is the avenue through which our sovereign God works, then His people should offer Him that avenue regularly. Although church leaders are human like everyone else—struggling with fleshly tendencies, physical weakness, limitations in giftedness, spiritual blind spots, etc.—their responsibilities in serving Christ’s Church, namely His people, deserve our respect. So respect should not only be seen in our remembrance of them (13:7), our obedience to them (13:17), but also in our prayers for them (13:18-19). And also in our honor of them (1 Thess. 5:12-13).

Truly, God’s appointed leaders in Christ’s Church face temptations that others do not. Satan knows that if he can bring down a respected church leader or two, he can bring down others with them, sometimes an entire church. If he can get a pastor to look at pornography, flirt with other women, or steal cash, he can make his evil mark. Yet prayer for our leaders weakens his efforts.

Food For Thought
Do we really need to pray for others when they ask us to pray for them? Does God need to hear from us so that He can act on their behalf? And if we fail to pray for them, will God not act on their behalf? What if they pray for themselves, yet we fail to pray for them? Are their prayers not sufficient for God to act? Notably, James 5:16 says, “Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” The great Apostle Paul himself told the Thessalonians to simply “Pray for us” (1 Thes. 5:25; 2 Thes. 3:1). Perhaps in praying for Paul, they connected themselves with everything God was doing through Paul? If the apostles believed prayer for one another had a fruitful purpose, and that one person praying “can accomplish much” (Jas. 5:16), then multiple people praying for the same thing will bring about more praise for God when He acts on our behalf to answer our prayers. In other words, multiple people praying for something or someone does not add power to one person praying; it adds praise to what God does through our prayers.